Local television is replaced by broadcasts from Moscow as pro-Russian party
attempts to ensure a positive result in Sunday's referendum on the
territory's destiny

Crimea's new rulers have seized virtual control of the airwaves in advance of Sunday's independence referendum, appointing a minister of information and replacing Ukrainian broadcasts with Russian channels.

Established TV stations have been replaced by news broadcasts direct from Moscow as an emergency step to monopolise information by the authorities now running the peninsula.

Crimea's pro-Russian leadership has sought a quick plebiscite to ensure its push for independence from Ukraine produces a convincing endorsement.

Dmitry Polonsky, the information minister, declared he had been appointed to create a new media environment in Crimea. With Russian backing, Crimea has rejected the rebellion that overthrew Ukraine's government and the subsequent installation by parliament of a pro-Western interim administration.

"We are now working with broadcasting from Russian 24 News channel but over time we will increase the amount of Crimean news," Mr Polonosky announced. "We will change the television channels on the basis of this need."

He said the move was necessary because existing channels were broadcasting Ukrainian "propaganda" against the referendum.

"Crimea has already decided to be independent and we are just waiting for the people to agree to this," he said. "We are in an irregular legal situation and will carry out a reorganisation so that the new organisations of Ukraine are taken over by the government of Crimea."

Terrestrial broadcasting of Black Sea television, a locally-based Ukranian channel, has already been cut off, though the channel is keeping its operations going for satellite and cable broadcasts.

Its journalists have been targeted for harassment by militias loyal to the new authorities. A new registration system could see them unable to go out on the streets.

"I am already facing a lot of aggression when I try to report, for example on the checkpoints into Crimea," said Elvira Jalal, a news correspondent. "Now we face a registration process that is too difficult to complete in time. We are working in fear."

Nothing is being left to chance in advance of the referendum.

Voters will be asked to either back joining Russia or adopt the 1992 constitution, which gives Crimea's parliament the right to leave Ukraine.

According to Mr Polonsky, a squat man in a black woollen polo neck, observers will be banned from primary vote counting centres and observers will only get access to collation centres where the results are reviewed.

Thousands of men are being brought under arms to augment Russian forces throughout the region.

Activists allege that up to eight journalists have been illegally detained in Crimea in recent days. Mr Polonsky has dismissed the allegations as unfounded and "pure provocations".

Critics believe censorship is already a reality for the two million strong population of Ukraine.

"The local population has no access to information, and local journalists are under pressure," said Oksana Romaniuk, a Ukraine member of Reporters Without Borders.

For its part Russia has protested an alleged order from the new Ukraine government to stop broadcasting Russian television channels.

Ukraine claims Russia has been fabricating attacks by "radicals" on ordinary citizens in an attempt to show post-revolutionary lawlessness.